Kevin Anthony Leago

Kevin Anthony Leago of Winnie, Tx went to be with the Lord on December 12, 2019 at the age of 40. He was born to Ross and Barbara Leago on August 14, 1979 in Baytown, Tx. While growing up in Alief and LaMarque, he spent summers with his grandparents on their ranch in Dew, Tx where he became passionate about cattle and farming. A 1997 graduate of Clear Creek high school, Kevin was a proud member of ROTC. At the age of 14, he became a volunteer firefighter with Bayou Vista volunteer fire department. Kevin worked as a waiter and bartender at Red Lobster while attending paramedic school at College of the Mainland. In 1999 Kevin was hired as a firefighter/paramedic for Missouri City fire department while dreaming of becoming a Houston fireman. During his time with the Missouri City FD, Kevin also worked as a paramedic for Enterprise Ambulance, Rural Metro Ambulance, and Transcar Paramedic. In 2001 Kevin’s dream came true, and he was hired by the Houston Fire Department.

While employed by HFD, Kevin completed University of Houston’s Police Academy and became a deputy with Galveston County Sheriff’s Office in 2003. In 2008, Kevin began nursing classes at Galveston College where he graduated with an associate’s degree in nursing in 2010. He was hired by the University of Texas Medical Branch after graduation where he worked in medical, surgical, and burn intensive care units while continuing his employment with the Houston Fire Department and the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office. During this time, Kevin was also voted by members of the fire department to serve as fire chief for the Bayou Vista Volunteer Fire Department. Kevin met his wife Breck in 2011 and their beautiful daughter Kenzi Alexa Leago was born on December 19, 2012.

Two months prior to Kenzi’s birth, Kevin was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer of the pancreas. He had surgery in February 2013 to remove pancreatic tumors and was cancer free for five years. During these years, Kevin was promoted from engineer operator/paramedic to junior captain, was an instructor at VJTF, and was an EMS supervisor for Houston Fire Department. In 2016 Kevin was promoted to Senior Captain with Houston Fire Department.

Over the years, Kevin often expressed an interest in fast-paced ER nursing. In 2015 he began working at Patient’s Emergency Room in Baytown. Little did he know that his co-workers at Patient’s ER would become like another family to him, Breck, and Kenzi.

In 2017 Kevin’s cancer returned, and he had surgery to remove tumors in his liver.

In 2018 Kevin was again determined to promote within the HFD rank, this time to Chief. While studying and working multiple jobs, Kevin began experiencing shoulder pain. He attributed this pain to stress and exhaustion. After taking the promotional exam, Kevin was reevaluated by his oncologist and was told the cancer has metastasized to his bones.

During their years together Kevin, Breck, and Kenzi relocated from Bayou Vista to Baytown, Tx where he continued to live life to its fullest. Kevin spent most of his time off work with his wife and daughter with a renewed passion for the farm life and cattle. Kevin and Breck raised 2 calves in their garage where the “moos” were covered with a radio that played around the clock. After realizing that a garage was no place for cows, they purchased 20 acres of land in Winne to fulfill their dream of owning livestock. Their dream quickly became reality as they obtained over 30 head of cattle, 8 rabbits, 3 goats, 16 chickens, a pig, a barn cat, 2 Sphynx cats, and 5 dogs.

Throughout Kevin’s struggle with cancer, he continued to have a positive outlook on life and a determination to overcome his diagnosis. He was determined to continue working while spending as much time as possible with his family. He was often building and repairing fences, doing tractor work, and spending time with his livestock. If Kevin was not working at one of his three jobs or on his land, he was often fishing, hunting or attending local cattle auctions and Sheldon FFA project shows. Not only did Kevin love the outdoors, but he loved his family. Kenzi was always Kevin’s helper and shadow. No matter where he went or what he was doing, Kenzi was by his side, or on his lap if he was on the tractor, lawn mower, or even driving his truck through the pasture. Throughout the ups and downs of Kevin’s battle with cancer, Kenzi and Breck (and his cows) remained Kevin’s number one priority.

Kevin was determined and had big dreams. Although taken at a young age, he accomplished many of his dreams, including spending 18 years working for Houston Fire Department, his “dream job”. During Kevin’s 18 years of service, he served at the following stations: 36, 68, 50, 67, 43, 94, 55, VJTF, 30, and 29.

Kevin was also a trailblazer who set a precedent for all those in the fire service across the state by ensuring that cancer treatment would be covered as a work-related illness by fighting and winning his workers compensation case. During Kevin’s struggle to fight cancer, he managed to find the strength to fight the system. By doing this he set an example for those left behind and a great legacy for his daughter.

Kevin was an amazing, loving, caring man who will be missed by his family and friends forever. He was a great judge of character, enjoyed telling a dad joke, loved to laugh, and enjoyed meeting his brother Trey or best friend Stephen for sushi. At the end of each day, he wanted nothing more than to hug his wife and daughter and tell them how much he loved them.

In addition to being survived by his wife, Breck DeAnne (Smesny) Leago and his daughter Kenzi Alexa Leago, Kevin is survived by his parents Ross and Barbara Leago, his brother Trey Leago and sister-in-law Chrystina Leago, and their three children, Braxton, Jaxon, and Nixon Leago. He is also survived by his father and mother-in-law Edwin and Denise Smesny along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, friends, and other family members.